Troy Rosario admitted that he’s still on that championship high, but he wouldn’t mind pausing his celebration after being called for Gilas Pilipinas duty anew.
Fresh off a golden run with Ginebra in the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup, the veteran bruiser is already back in action after being included in the squad bound for Window 3 of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers.
“Medyo nag-eenjoy pa ‘ko i-celebrate ‘yung championship sa Ginebra. Pero may call eh,” he said during the men’s team’s send-off presser hosted by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas at the FilOil Centre in San Juan, Monday.
Rosario was basking in the glory of his maiden league title with the Kings after beating his former team in TNT in Game 7 of the Finals just last Wednesday, only to find himself on the court not long after—just like the old times.
Literally the morning after their merrymaking, the SBP announced the 12-man lineup set to figure in rematches versus Australia and New Zealand in the June 29-July 6 window, and part of it was the seasoned internationalist.
From being just a part of the training pool in past windows, Rosario is set to make his first FIBA appearance since the previous World Cup Qualifiers cycle, when the program was still under the stewardship of Chot Reyes.
Although he would’ve wanted to celebrate his second-ever PBA gold with his friends and family longer, the 34-year-old knows that it could wait.
“Kailangan kong i-postpone muna ‘yung celebration para sa preparation dito sa coming window,” the three-time Southeast Asian Games champion said.
For now, he only wants to be of help for Gilas and in their bid to pull upsets against the Oceania teams on the road—the Nationals will head to Auckland to face the Tall Blacks on July 3, then to Perth to take on the Boomers on the 6th.
“I hope maganda ‘yung performance namin, at makakuha kami ng panalo,” said Rosario.
